Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi AU
by Princesa Alisakura
Summary: Sick of feeling like she's riding on her parents' coattails, Onodera Rika quits her father's publishing company (where she was a literature editor) and gets a job at Marukawa Publishing-only she ends up getting stuck in the crazy shoujo manga department. With her chief editor being her ex-boyfriend! ADOPTED BY shaneEgirlo
1. Chapter 1

This is what I had in mind for the Sekaiichi Hastukoi genderbent.

I own nothing, everything belongs to Nakamura-sensei.

ITS AN AU!

fem!Ristu's name is Rika because it was the most popular choice.

* * *

 _Five years ago, I confessed to someone I thought I loved. He was a senpai I knew from long ago._

 _It was by accident of course, mainly because after three years of watching him from afar we happened to meet when we were both reaching for the same book. The words just spilled out. I couldn't believe it myself, I thought he would just give me a weird look and laugh at me because let's face, he never saw me before. I was just a stranger._

 _But instead he gave me a pat on the head and simply said._

 _'_ _I don't mind.'_

 _We started going out, I was happy. I thought I could be happy for the rest of my life because I had Saga by my side._

 _At least, that's what I thought._

 _He betrayed me. Broke my heart in two as he laughed._

 _I ran away soon after._

 _I thought I could erase his face from my mind after going to England to finish school and maybe find happiness somewhere else._

 _But that didn't happen._

 _I found happiness in another way._

 _Saga may have broken my heart but I now have someone who will never betray me._

 _My precious daughter, Mika._

 _She may look like_ _ **him**_ _but she will never be_ _ **him**_ _._

 _He doesn't know about her, he had his chance but he blew it._

 _I raised her all by myself for five long years (with the help of my father of course) but now it was time for me to start a job I have applied for after leaving my father's company. The hours won't agree with me but the pay is good._

 _I, Rika Onodera, age 20, will have new career in editing. I have no interest in romance. All I need is my home, my job and of course my precious child._

 _Nothing will get in my way._

* * *

Originally, it was much darker. Originally, Rika was forced by her mother to terminate the pregnancy which would lead to Rika developing a psychological condition known as Post Abortion Trauma but I got sick just writing it so I decided to change it to this instead.

I will come back to wring my genderbents but right now I need to take some time to myself after that very devastating review.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing, everything belongs to Nakamura-sensei.

ITS AN AU!

* * *

 _Two hands touched as they reached for the same book. They stopped and two teenagers looked at each other, the tallest was a boy with short raven black hair and golden eyes. He had the same facial expression he had one every day, stoic. The girl had shoulder length light brown hair and green eyes, her expression was a light blush that painted itself on her cheek bones and her mouth agape. This made the boy tilt his head with a raised eyebrow._

 _'Oh no,' the young girl thought, 'I spaced out. And I always made sure to only watch him from afar.'_

 _"S-Saga-senpai," the young girl piped._

 _"Huh?"_

 _Rika became flustered, "U-um, I'm sorry. If you want the book that's fine."_

 _"How do you know my name?" was the only thing Saga said._

 _The girl gulped and looked down, she began to play with her hands. For the past three years of junior high and high school, all Rika Onoderea had ever done was watch her senpai. This was the fourth year, she decided … she decided to her feelings hidden within her heart forever. But now, he was in front of her, Rika's feelings threatened to swell over. She tried to keep those three words that wanted to escape her lips locked inside but the urge was too strong._

 _"Senpai, I love you."_

 _By the time Rika realized what just happened, it was too late. The blush widened and she gasped._

 _"N-n-n-no… I mean…"_

 _A large hand was gently placed on her head, softly ruffling her soft hair. She closed her eyes as the embarrassed blush darkened._

Everything was so innocent, so pure back then.

But now, five years later.

The scene changes to a young woman with waist length light brown hair with long bangs gently framing her face, barley covering her emerald eyes.

Onodera Rika, age 20.

She's turned into a totally cantankerous adult.

"WHAT?!"

At Marukawa publishing, a young Rika Onoderea had found out her new position of employment but it was not what she had wanted. She was sitting at a table in the cafeteria with her interviewer who had just told her what she was to do. Rika wore a black button-down shirt with one button unopened, a beige skirt with brown small heeled boots.

"I'm being transferred in the manga department?!" Rika banged on the table, "H-hold on! I made it very clear in the interview! I was in charge of editing literature at my last job and I want to work at literature here!"

The other woman smiled, "I see... but my superiors at HR are the ones who make the decisions, not me."

Rika stood up, "Can you check one more time? Something might have changed between then and now!"

The woman smiled again, "Oh… but these decisions are made immediately," She pulled up the paper that contained the Rika's new place of employment, " It says, 'Onodera-san, Employed Mid-Career, Is To Be Assigned To The Shoujo Manga Division Of Marukawa Shoten'. That's how it is."

The young woman wanted to counter back but instead, she calmed down, "I see. Alright then."

The employee clapped her hands cheerfully, "Good! Come on then, I'll take you to the editing department."

Just as she was also about to stand, Rika remembered something important.

"They do know that I need to leave work temporarily at a certain time everyday right?"

"Of course! Just as long as you return afterwards."

Rika made a brief smile, "Yes of course."

Well this sucked…

 _'How did this happen?! I specifically switched jobs so I could work on literature!'_ She thought with an irritated scowl on her face as she followed the woman to her new position, _'Why manga!? I don't even read that stuff! Especially shoujo manga!'_

They entered the elevator and an awkward silence filled the small room. The employee cleared her throat and began to start up a conversation.

"So…. Why did you ask for that temporary leave anyway?"

Rika chuckled under her breath and sighed, "Because kindergarten does not make special exceptions for single parents."

"Oh?"

"Yup. It's a long story but I'll be brief: I have a five year old little girl."

The woman's friendly smile wavered a bit but quickly recovered- but Rika saw- and spoke again, "But you're so young."

She giggled in a manner the younger woman knew all too well. That judgmental laugh she has heard for a long time. She need to change the subject before this got out of hand. The elevator doors opened and the pair walked out to a small hallway.

"Isn't putting me in the shoujo manga department the same thing as shelving a useless employee?"

 _'Please work.'_

The question threw the woman off but she answered, her annoying pep came back, "Oh that's now it is at all. I know it looks like a storage room, but a year after the current editor joined us it became the number one editing department.

"It even received an award from the president!"

 _'Oh?'_

"Plus," Wont this woman ever shut up? "The editors are all men!"

Rika stopped for brief second and grimaced, "The editors are all men?"

"Yes, I believe so! You lucky girl!"

Her sweet voice sounded a bit shriller now.

 _'Joy!'_ The editor thought sarcastically, ' _Working with a bunch of men. I really want t to quit but I can't exactly do that.'_

What choice did Rika have? Her father made it perfectly clear when she announced that she wanted to live on her own with Mika- her daughter- after leaving the family company that she needed to find a job immediately and keep it. If she wanted to raise her daughter without his 'at home' assistance.

"A lot of girls here have their eyes on them. There are a lot of pheromones in the air at the end of the period."

"Huh?"

"Well, you'll find out once you see it."

Rika sighed as she followed the woman who stopped to talk to a man holding some papers.

"Excuse me, I'm from management. I've brought a new assignee."

"Oh, for emerald? It's this way."

She thanked the man and happily led Rika to an area where she was to work form know on. Rika looked down and began to ponder her situation. Might as well endure it, she thought, this was for her precious child. They made it this far. Why waste all that hard work now just because she didn't get the position she wanted?

They reached their destination and Rika, without looking up, bowed her head.

"Nice to meet you. I'm going to be working with you from now on. My name is Onodera…?"

As she spoke, Rika looked up and immediately saw hell.

Papers and books were piled in disarray, a foul odor was practically seen looming and she saw three individuals slumped over chairs and desks. She wondered if they were even alive.

"Um..." The editor was too shocked to say anything.

The other woman all but jumped in surprise, "I'm… I'm sorry! It's the wrong phase of the period!"

With that, she turned and ran, "Well do your best!"

"Wha-? Wait!"

But the woman disappeared before Rika could get an explanation about the 'period'.

She looked around and tried to ask the other employees if she was in the right place.

"Um, is this the Emerald department?"

But they ran away in a frenzy just like the other woman.

"Yeah," a man said as scurried.

Another man ran off, "But we aren't part of it."

Rika tilted her head and with deep caution, she walked into the darkened room.

 _'Why are the avoiding me?'_ She wondered with her hand over her nose, _'what's going on here?! And why does it smell like a locker room?!'_

She walked up to a small lump that was slouched over the long table.

She lightly tapped the persons shoulder, "Excuse me. I'm Onodera…"

The lump groaned so Rika tapped the shoulder once again. This time, the person fell back in a sickening thud. Scaring the young woman.

Shaking, the man got up in but his head was down, "What…?"

Still trying to restart her heart, Rika once again introduced herself, "Um… As if today, I'll be working here…"

The black haired man's eyes widened, "Oh... Was there someone coming today?"

He then struggled to turn to a certain direction, "T-T-Takano-san, new girl…. Takano-san…. Takano-san…?"

A loud thud was heard and a tall man with slick black hair, wrinkled clothes and glasses stood up abruptly, "Shut up! I heard you the first time!"

Rika jumped and immediately man's direction, this guy was the boss?

He looked at the petite young girl while he scratched his head, "A part-timer?"

Rika was annoyed but she let it go and shook her head, "No sir, I'm a fulltime employee."

"Name?"

"Onodera Rika."

The man yawned, "Oh yeah. That's right, I heard someone like you was coming."

 _'Someone like me?'_

"Pleased to meet you. I wasn't at the interview, but I heard that you have editing experience?"

Rika nodded, trying to be professional, "Yes. Three years at Onodera Publishing."

 _'Well she's young'_ , Takano thought, _'She's probably the same age as her.'_

"You did shounen? Seinen?"

The woman grimaced, "No sir. I used to work on literature but when I applied here they put me in the manga department."

Takano raised an eyebrow, "Literature?"

Rika nodded, she knew that it may have been a slip of the tongue but she needed to be honest.

"So you're completely new at the manga department?"

"Yes."

This made Takano mutter, "Useless."

Rika's eyes twitched but she remained calm, _'this guy… is the worst.'_

Just than a man turned his head with a phone in hand, "Takano-san. Satou-san's here with her replacement manuscript. She's already at the lounge."

"Got it," Said the head editor, he made his way out of the office, "Follow me newbie. Show me you can do your job."

"Huh? Okay," Said Rika and she trailed behind him.

After a long elevator ride later.

The pair walked out to the lounge, Rika grew curious.

"So is the replacement manuscripts for this month?"

"Yeah."

"When is it going on sale?"

"Seven days."

"What?!"

Rika all but collapsed in the cafeteria chair, _'I don't think manga will work for me.'_

Meeting with the Mangaka ended in a very strange way. Her boss told Satou that she needed to add more passion in the kissing scenes between the characters. And to show an example, Takano kissed Rika. It was no ordinary kiss, it was a kiss of passion.

And his excuse? It was for work.

That's what brought our Rika in the cafeteria.

So far she concluded on what she learned so far: The guys in the Emerald editing department are a bunch of wierdos. (Employees from other editing departments avoid them.) And that they are passionate about their manga.

 _'Passionate? Oh yea, very passionate,'_ She thought to herself, _'Enough to use themselves as models.'_

Rika groaned and took a sip of her iced coffee, she really wanted to edit literature. Turn a book into a work of pure art. Ever since she could remember, Rika always loved books. Sitting in her small library at home reading books all hours of the day until it was time to go to bed. When she was pregnant, books were her main comfort when her parents would fight in the other room. After her daughter was born, Rika immediately went to work at her father's company, there was a lot of pressure working with big-name authors especially since they sometimes did not think a young girl at her age would've been taken seriously. But she was happy.

She worked hard to make and sell the books she was assigned too. She was happy.

But with success came the rumors of Rika using her father's name to get the big name authors. Instead of crying in a corner, Rika quit her job and decided to go to another company where she can make a book that sells millions.

'That's where I am now.'

Out of nowhere, memoires of her high school life resurfaced. When she first confessed to her senpai. And to when she lost her virginity.

 _'Nononononononono! Stop!'_ Rika ended up having a mini meltdown _, 'I don't want to remember that him! No! Rika, we went through this already. You have to think about work! Not some mistake you made in high school!'_

A small beeping sound from her phone interrupted her freak out and without even looking at the caller id, she answered it.

"Hello?"

 **"Mommy!"**

Rika immediately calmed down and smiled, "Mika."

 **"Mommy, why did grandpa pick me from kindergarten instead of you?"**

The editor chuckled, "Sweetheart, mommy told you that today was the day she started her new job."

 **"Oh. When are coming to get me?"**

"I don't know yet. I have to make sure the movers made it to our new home and I have to make sure its ready for you."

 **"Okay mommy,"** Mika sounded sad.

"Don't be sad sweetheart," Rika said in a gentle tone, "I promise I'll get you as soon as I can okay? Now be a good girl for grandpa alright."

 **"Yes mommy."**

Rika smiled, "Alright then. I have to go now. Bye-bye."

 **"Bye-bye mommy."**

The line went dead.

She put her phone down and smiled. She missed her daughter very much and she really wanted to pick her up from kindergarten.

"Hey."

Rika jumped and turned to see Takano standing behind her with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Yes?" She answered, that call from Mika calmed her down some, "Did you send the manuscripts?"

The man nodded, "yeah, it's finished for this month's issue."

"Well that's good," Rika muttered, taking a sip from her drink, _'Apologize for that kiss back there, sheesh.'_

"So," Takano's deep voice for some reason gave Rika goosebumps, "I just talked to the higher ups. You're the heir to Onodera's publishers?"

That struck a nerve, "I'm not related to that company."

"Annoyed that you didn't get the position you wanted?"

 _'What's with this guy?!'_

Taking in a deep breath, Rika looked at her boss, "It happened alright. I'll try to fix it if that makes you feel any better. The last thing you need is something dragging you down."

"Wow," said the older man as he crushed his cigarette at the public ashtray, "I thought you would whine and complain about that."

Rika rolled her eyes, "I'm not some twenty-five year old guy with an attitude problem."

"Sure," was all Takano said, "The other guys have already gone home, so you can too."

This surprised her, "Really? Great."

With a small excited jump, Rika got up from her chair and began to make her way out of the cafeteria when Takano placed a hand on her head, surprising her. She stared up at him with big curious eyes.

"Have I meet you before?" He asked.

She raised an eyebrow.

"I… I don't think so."

With that, she walked off as Takano watched.

Rika made it to the entrance and once again had a mini meltdown. In her head this time.

' _WHY THE HELL IS MY HEART POUNDING?!'_

* * *

Ta-da!

So... How was it?

Well now that our Rika was introduced to takano what can happen? Please give your thoughts of what might happen in the review ^^


	3. Chapter 3

Rika huffed as she dropped the manga books on the desk of emerald Department. It was still a pigsty but right now she did not care.

It was midnight when she came back to Marukawa after being released early by her new boss Takano. She went to her new apartment and saw that her father, with her little ravenette daughter in tow, took it upon himself to make sure that the rooms were already furnished with all the needed furniture and devices she and Mika needed for their new life.

Always looking out for his only child.

Rika was lucky.

Her father, Hiroshi, was a caring man who loved his daughter and granddaughter dearly. Unlike her mother who never accepted Mika. That was a chapter in her life Rika just wanted to forget.

She and Hiroshi had tea at a little coffee shop discussing the new arrangements, little Mika drinking strawberry juice. Her father laughed at Rika's predicament at her new job but found it rather interesting.

 _'I believe it will be a marvelous experience dear. Try giving manga a chance and if it doesn't work then ask for a transfer to the literature department.'_

Marvelous experience huh? Hiroshi always knew the right thing to say.

The small get-together ended with and Rika was forced to once again say goodbye to her little Mika. Even though the point of moving was based solely on raising her daughter, Mika still, in the eyes of the kindergarten staff, lived with her grandfather. Rika needed to fill in more paper work before she and Mika would finally live together but it would take another week.

It was hard for the young mother who loved her little one more than her life. Even for Mika who cried when she and Hiroshi left the coffee shop, without her mother.

 _'I wanna be with mommy!'_

 _'Don't cry sweetheart, we'll be together soon alright?'_

 _That did nothing to stop the five year olds tears as they fell from her golden brown eyes._

Back to present time, Rika took in her father's words and began to open the manga books. She was not going to lose. If she is deemed useless after she tried her hardest then that was her own fault. Being deemed useless when she hadn't even started was something Rika just couldn't allow.

"This is nothing," She said to herself, "I read piles of books in high school. How is manga any different?"

Rika continued to read until she finally fell asleep on the desk.

Not knowing that Takano was watching her from the doorway.

Nothing can wake up Rika Onodera when she was sleeping. There are only two things that would wake her up from deep slumber and that was: Mika if she woke up early and was hungry and the bright sunlight through the window. But this time it was something else. It was the sudden touch of something wet and cold on her check.

"Ack!" Rika jolted up in alert as sleep immediately left her.

With her hand on her assaulted cheek the young woman looked around her unfamiliar surroundings. She appeared to be in a break room being bathed in morning light, sitting on a couch, with a large white jacket draped over her.

"Well you're finally awake," a deep said to her, it was close.

Rika shook her head and looked towards the direction of the voice, she found that it was Takano. He was sitting on a folded chair with an unopened can of coffee in his hand. It was the can that woke her up.

"Oh," Rika realized what had happened, "Takano-san, did I fall asleep at the desk?"

She received a nod as her answer.

"I was about to head home when I saw you passed out. I tried to wake you up and when that didn't work, I carried you here."

A blush appeared on her face, the jacket was her boss's. She immediately began to smooth out the wrinkles from the garment and then came to a small realization. He was with her the whole time?

"Sorry about that. I thought that if I read the manga you worked on in the past-"

"Don't worry about it," Takano interrupted, he gave her the coffee and smiled.

The gesture made Rika's blush increase in heat as she accepted the drink. Now sitting on the couch in a more proper manner she invited Takano to sit next her since the chair he was currently sitting on looked uncomfortable. When the man sat he lit a cigarette and relaxed. As he did that, Rika began to ponder about her boss. From the manga she read, she knew that Takano had that ability to bring out the authors potential. Create something worth read and selling them.

She looked at the man in awe. He was doing the things she really wanted to do.

 **Thump-thump**

Immediately Rika turned away. It happened again! Her stupid heart was pounding after looking at Takano.

 _'Dang it Rika! No falling in love! It'll end badly!'_

"So you're going to stay in the manga department?" Takano asked after blowing out nicotine laced smoke, "Not gonna transfer?"

Taking a sip to calm her nerves, Rika nodded, "Like I said yesterday, it happened. Might as well give it a try. Who knows, it might be a good learning experience."

A deep chuckle resonated from the man as he put out the used cigarette, "You're stubborn but I can tell that you might be dedicated in this if you try."

 _'That's always been my problem,'_ the woman thought. Again her heart began to beat against her chest.

 _'WILL YOU STOP YOU STUPID HEART?! I MADE IT CLEAR YEARS AGO THAT I WOULD NEVER FALL IN LOVE!'_

Rika gripped the can in a vain effort to calm herself down. Think about Mika, she thought to herself. That little girl was more important than romance.

"You're still the same."

Jumping slightly to the voice, Rika turned her head and saw Takano looking at her with serious look on his face.

"What do you mean?"

Takano's eyes widened a bit in surprise but became serious again.

"You seriously don't remember me?"

A sigh escaped from Rika's lips, "You asked me that yesterday but I think you mistook me for someone else."

She looked up at Takano with serious eyes, "This is my first time meeting you."

The look from the man turned into a glare as he shoved Rika against the couch and began to crawl over her. She was caught by surprise by the act and tried to get up only to be pushed down again.

"Hey what are you doing?!"

He didn't answer but instead said, "Maybe you'll remember me if I do this."

Takano grabbed Rika's chin and forced her to look at him.

"Wha-?"

Warm lips planted themselves on hers. It caught her by surprise but she still grabbed Takano's shirt and shoved him off with all her strength.

"Takano-san!" Gasped Rika as she turned her body in an effort to get off the couch.

But she was once again forcefully kissed by her boss. Tongue was added this time.

 **SLAP!**

"Ouch!"

The slap on the cheek was enough for Takano to get off of Rika.

Seeing her chance the woman flew off the couch, "I told you to stop didn't I? Stop joking around!"

The man was silent for a brief moment but then spoke, "A joke? Oh yeah, it was all joke huh?"

"What?" What was this guy talking about?

Takano stood up and began to put on his discarded jacket that had fallen to the floor, "the atmospheres changed a bit but you're still as stubborn as ever."

Rika titled her head but became annoyed, "What are you talking about?!"

She opened her mouth to tell him off but she was interrupted.

"You said you loved me, right?"

Rika was now confused, "Huh?"

With a snort, the man grabbed his briefcase and began to walk, "must be nice being you. First you dumped and then you forget about everything."

"What?" This joke was starting to get old and it was making Rika angry.

"I'm going home, the cycle starts again tomorrow," said Takano as he grasped the doorknob.

Rika gritted her teeth and growled out, "What are you talking about Takano-san?"

Having enough Takano answered, "My parents divorced when I was a senior in high school so my family name changed. My old name was…"

He turned his head and stared at the girl.

"… 'Saga Masamune' or 'Masa-kun' as you used to call me."

With that said and done, the man left the room.

The glare on Rika's face dropped and a new emotion appeared.

 _'Saga… Masamune?'_

Time stood still.

 ** _'Masa-kun?'_**

 ** _A flashback of a younger Rika phased into the woman's thoughts. She was sitting on her senpai's bed with her uniform shirt unbuttoned._**

 _'Saga…'_

 ** _"Masa-kun we're going out right?" She asked, this was going through her head recently._**

 ** _The always silent teen looked at her, "Huh?"_**

 ** _The young girl closed her open shirt and looked down, "Because you never say anything Masa-kun."_**

 ** _'_** _Saga-senpai.'_

 ** _"Masa-kun, do you…" Rika made a nervous smile, "Do you love me?_**

 ** _Her answer: Masamune laughed through his nose._**

 ** _That's where it all happened._**

 ** _Where Rika learned in the in the most humiliating way that her feelings were being toyed with._**

The shock left her and Rika bolted out of the breakroom and ran through the hallway in a fury.

"Wait up! Saga!" she screamed, "Sag- I mean Takano!"

Said man was in the elevator hall and was just about to press the elevator button when his name was called, he stopped and looked at the girl.

Saga Masamune = Takano Masamune. Rika replayed that over and over again, Takano was actually her ex-boyfriend?!

 _'What's going here?!'_ she screamed in her head _, 'I spent five years trying to erase him from my mind and… and... he's my boss?!_

Rika ran until she finally caught up with the man, "What the hell was that?! First you say whatever you want and then run away," She screamed between ragged breaths, "And second, how dare you announce yourself without a decent shred of remorse after what you did to me?!"

Now it was Masamune's turn to be confused but his expressionless face didn't show it.

"Huh? What I did to you?"

"Who else could I be talking to?" Rika demanded, "Because of you I-"

The man interrupted, "You're on to talk lady!"

"What?"

Now Masamune was pissed, "You were the one who gave me that roundhouse kick on the head before disappearing the next day!"

The anger in Rika was now replaced with deep confusion, "Kicked you on the head? I never did that."

Masamune let out an aggravated sigh, "It must be nice to have a selected memory. You're the worst."

Rika's hair flared as she became upset at that comment, "Says the damn pot you jerk! It obviously meant nothing to you but I was really serious about you but you used me and threw me away!"

 _'And our daughter!'_ She added in her head.

"Okay what the hell are you talking about," The man yelled.

This time, the brunette stepped closer to the man, "I asked if you loved me and you answered by laughing through your nose!"

A ticked-off mark appeared on the man's head, "If I did that, I might have been hiding my damn embarrassment! Any high school brat would do that if their girlfriend asked them that question after fucking on his bed!"

Rika stood there in shock as her earlier emotions vanished from her petite body, unconsciously she placed her hands on her flat stomach but that went unnoticed. Masamune calmed down from the rant and pushed the 'down' button.

He swung his bag over his shoulders, "Well since that mystery has been solved that means I can flirt with you right?"

That question fell on Rika like a ton of manga, "What?!"

"I've tried many times but I never forgot about you," The doors of the elevator opened and he stepped in, "I will make you say that you love me again. Be prepared."

A blush of fury appeared on the pale cheeks of the woman, she ran after him yelling out something about him to stop playing a joke on her but the doors closed and Rika hit her forehead as a result.

Now holding her sore head, Rika began to replay what had just happened. The chief editor of Emerald was her ex-boyfriend. The very man she desperately wanted to forget. The man who supposedly broke her heart. The father of her small daughter.

How did she not recognize him?! Rika will admit this, his hair style changed a bit and it was kind of natural to forget some things in five years right.

 _'Had I known it was him,'_ she thought still crouched down on the floor _, 'I would have quit on the spot.'_

 _'…I never forgot about you….'_

The angry red blush faded to a soft pink when she recalled what Masamune had said. Her heart began to beat against her chest in the same manner it did so many years ago. If what happened was true and everything was just a terrible misunderstanding, maybe Masamune wanted to be with her again. They would slowly fall in love all over again and live happily ever after with their daughter as one big happy family.

But Rika knew better, manga was just plain fantasy. She lived in the real world, where the main heroine never gets the guy.

She fell for his spell once, now way on hell she was ever going to run into his arms.

 _'And besides, why would I be with a man who rejected our daughter?'_

* * *

"That was fast. Did you come to confess?"

Rika's very tired and very baggy eyes twitched, "No… I just moved here."

Sure enough, Onodera Rika had become Takano Masamune's next door neighbor.

 _'DOES KAMI-SAMA HATE ME?!'_

Masamune watched as Rika stormed into her apartment before walking into his own. Why did she have a recently bought teddy bear with her?

* * *

Due to a wise ass who lovingly reported this story (Who I swear is the same ass who was harassing me) I had to make this chapter a rushed piece of junk despite the fact I had everything written down.

You only have 'guest' to thank for that. I already deleted the comment.

Well Rika and Masamune are 'reunited' at last. let's see what happens.

sorry I made Takano OOC but his personality is bloody confusing T^T

Rika is kind of styled after my momma. She would always put me and work first before romance when I was growing up since she too was a single mother. That is going to be Rika when it comes to her little one.

Read and leave a review since they provide fuel for quicker updates. less reviews provide slower updates :P


	4. Chapter 4

Today was a good day for a young Onodera Rika as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator, she wore a beige sweater vest over white long sleeved button down along with a khaki skirt and black sandals. Her long hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.

While yesterday was a bit… bad. More like she found out that the chief editor of the department she was working in was revealed to be her ex-boyfriend who allegedly broke her heart bad. And then she found out that the nice two bedroom apartment she had found for her and her little daughter Mika was next-door to his apartment. Great just great she thought that evening she found out. But Rika had brushed it aside and began to work on some paperwork if she played her cards right, Mika would come home sooner. The reason for her good day was because she was going to pick up her daughter from kindergarten and take her home for the night. Rika wanted her daughter to get used to her new home.

The doors opened to the manga department and Rika began her dreadful decent towards the Emerald department.

' _I really don't want to work in that pigsty_ ,' She thought with woe.

The mere of thought of her working in that smelly room sent chills down her spine. What if the scent got on her? What if the teachers at kindergarten caught a whiff of it and immediately thought that twenty-year-old Rika was an unfit mother?! They'll take her baby away for sure!

 _'Alright, that was a bit too dramatic,_ ' She thought to herself. Sometimes the young editor had a wild imagination when it came to her status as a single parent.

She made it to Emerald and took in a deep breathe before walking in the section.

"Good morning," She said to her fellow co-workers.

She opened eyes and was greeted with an image of princes.

"Good morning Onodera-chan!"

It was three men, one with sandy brown hair with a big smile on his face, one with black hair who looked younger than herself and one who had a serious look on his face.

Rika was taken aback by the scene.

"Excuse me, wrong room," she turned and walked away only to be grabbed by the black haired man.

"Ahahaha, what're you talking about?" He playfully dragged her in, "It's right here isn't it?"

This confused the girl as she looked around the office room. Gone were the mile high stacks of paper and gone was the foul odor that could almost be seen. Instead, she saw pink and knickknacks. Toys to be exact, teddy bears, tea sets, princess dolls, angel fairy dolls and children's books. Rika had thought for a moment that she walked into Mika's bedroom.

The man who dragged her in sat on his chair crisscross, "Sorry we ignored you two days ago."

The smiling man spoke next, "We finished the dead script so it's all good."

The two men gave her the thumbs up.

"Heard it's your first time editing manga. We'll teach you everything you need to know!"

Rika weakly waved at them but no words came out. She turned on her heels and made only a few steps before the world around her became black.

The men stood there for a few minutes before they realized that their new recruit had fainted from the shock.

"Onodera?!"

"Takano-san did you at least tell her the details about the 'period'?!" The serious man in the suit yelled.

Masamune yawned and drank his coffee while looking at the rough draft of the new manga chapter they had just received.

"Her own fault not mine."

The men were shocked but they ran to help Rika. The man with black hair –Kisa Shouta- dragged her to a rolling chair and began to fan her face with a manga book while the other men went to get water.

Rika came too five minutes later.

* * *

"So that's how it works," Rika replied as Kisa showed her how to apply the typesetting on the manuscripts.

She was just explained to about the 'period'. It was described like a twenty-day radish, Emerald department was full of fresh faced, well rested men until they reached the end when they were half dead from exhausted. Once the manga was finished, they became the princes they were today, the next day it will happen all over again.

She was surrounded by two of men as she was learning the basics. It made Rika a bit uncomfortable. She felt that she was in a reverse harem.

'A great harvest'.

Kisa smiled as he gave her the paper cement, "It happens every time we near a deadline. It gave quite the impression to the other staff when it first happened."

Rika tilted her head and put down her cutting blade, "And what about the department being pink?"

She moved her hand in a circular motion when she asked this.

The man with a smile on his face- Kanade Mino- who was also helping her, "'When in Rome, do as the romans do'. Takano-san's policy is to have us familiarize with the environment so we can understand young women's feelings." He then placed a hand on the brunettes head, "Now that you're here we can learn more!"

A chuckle escaped from the woman's lips before she gently pushed away Kanade's hand, "Trust me, I'm not a good learning example when it comes to a woman's feelings."

Kisa tilted his head but went back to his tutorial, "Anyway Rika-chan…"

 _'Rika-chan?'_

"… When there are words above the pictures, it's always important to use a tracing paper first before pasting the picture over it."

Rika nodded and began to paste the type set like a good little editor.

"While digital manuscripts are in the norm nowadays. Learning the basics is very important," Kanade said as he pointed at the place where Rika had placed the paper, "Make sure to stay between the lines."

"Okay."

She did as she was told and began to work.

"They say 'if you don't stay within the lines, it means you heart is out of line'," Kisa said to the newbie with a smile.

"Really?" Rika asked matter-of-factly, she was still focused on the manuscript when she heard a commotion between Kisa and the other man, Hatori. Something about a typesetting being crooked or somewhat but she paid no mind.

Cut and paste, cut and paste, cut, add trace paper and paste. Her hands were starting to cramp from the repeated actions she was doing but that did not stop the editor from her task.

By the time Rika stopped for a quick breather, her phone alarm went off. It was almost noon.

 _'Time to get Mika,'_ She thought as she dug into her messenger bag for her time card.

As part of her special release, all Rika had to do was have the chief editor stamp the card with one color as acknowledgement of her leaving and stamp it again in a different color to show that she came back. It would have a simple task to follow… if the chief editor of Emerald was not her ex-boyfriend.

Does he even know that Rika needed to leave before noon temporarily every day?

 _'He better know,'_ She thought after pulling out the slip, _'I really don't want to talk to him.'_

She got up and walked to Masamune who was yelling at somebody on the phone. He slammed the phone down, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in annoyance.

"Bad author?"

"Printing Company," The man growled and saw that Rika had her bag ready as if she was leaving, "what are you doing?"

With a sigh, Rika explained, "Didn't you read my application? I requested a temporary time release every day for a week if I got a job here," She held up the time card, "Can you please stamp this?"

The man took the card and looked at it as if he was trying find signs of fraud. He knew about the release but Masamune thought it was a joke at first, who asks for a fulltime position but also asks for early leave?

"I'm not leaving for the day it's only for a while," Rika's voice brought the man back to reality.

He snorted but picked up a stamp to verify his acknowledgement. He handed back the card and Rika took it, their hands briefly touched.

The woman blushed and jerked her hand back, her heart began to pound.

"T-thank you Takano-san," She said quickly before making her way out of the department.

' _Stupid heart!'_

Back to Masamune he looked at his hand briefly but went back to work. Maybe yelling at very late authors and annoying printing employees will stop his pounding heart. And to stop him from killing two man for practically flirting with his girl.

* * *

We now change our setting to a large room filled with small children playing with toys. The walls were covered in finger-paint drawings and pictures of the children in both group and individual photos. In a small corner near a book shelf sat a little girl who appeared to be small compared to her classmates. She had long black hair tied into pigtails with long bangs falling over her black round framed glasses that covered her honey brown eyes. She was wearing the standard kindergarten uniform as she sat cross legged on the plush pillow on the play mat reading her book all by herself.

This child was usually never alone but her best friend in the whole wide world was sick with the chicken pox so she ended up reading alone.

"Mika," A voice called to her making the child jerk her head up.

Onodera Mika's eyes lit up at the sight of the person at the doorway.

"Mommy!"

Almost immediately the little one got up and ran to her mother's awaiting arms.

Rika hugged her daughter tightly in happiness. Even though she hadn't seen Mika since last night it felt as if she hadn't seen her child in months.

"My baby," Rika whispered happily before letting go of the child to place a kiss on Mika's forehead.

"Grandpa said you'd come and get me," Mika piped with a smile, "He was right!"

Rika smiled and stood to get her daughter's backpack. As she did so she felt the stares from the other parents who came to pick up their children who made no effort to lower their whispers.

 _"Look at her acting like 'mother-of-the-year'."_

 _"Twenty-years old and a mother to a five year old."_

 _"A little skank she is."_

 _"I wonder if she even knows who the father is."_

 _'She's making it sound like I slept around,_ ' the younger mother thought bitterly as she picked up the little blue bag that Mika's name on it. Rika knew who the father of her child was, she's working for him.

"Ah Onodera-san," a young voice rang through the harsh whispers.

It was Hitomi Mizuki, Mika's teacher. The only adult who was nice to Rika at the school. She had long pitch black hair tied back in a messy bun, a yellow apron covering a red stripe shirt and pants and the standard white slippers she usually wore when inside the building. She was not thin but she was not chubby.

"Your father called a while ago," She said in a friendly disposition, "He said that you recently moved out of his home and into an apartment."

Rika nodded and made a quick bow, "Yes I have. I already filled out the paperwork."

After bowing she reached into her bag and pulled out the necessary documents she needed to tell the staff that Mika had moved to a different location. Hitomi took the papers and studied making an occasional nod.

"Alright then," the older woman said putting the papers downs, "I'll inform the office and have the address changed. It may take a few days but since you are a very organized, I believe it will be shorter."

"Thank you very much," Rika gratefully bowed.

She gave Mika a look the basically told her to also thank her teacher.

Mika titled her head but realized what her mother wanted her to do.

She also bowed, "Thank you sensei."

Hitomi smiled and bid the duo a good day before turning her attention to the other parents who had come to pick up their children. Rika was such a nice woman and a caring mother, it was a shame the other parents only saw her a reckless woman who was 'paying for her promiscuity'.

* * *

"What do you want for dinner tonight?" Rika's asked Mika as they made the walk to the train station, she was holding the little one's hand to keep her from wondering off.

"Sukiyaki!" The five-year old exclaimed with a big smile on her face.

Rika looked down at Mika and noticed something, _'I wonder if his smile is the same as hers.'_

They stopped at a crosswalk and waited for the sign to change.

"It's too warm for that sweetheart," She heard the disappointed 'aww' after she said that, "How about tonkatsu with miso soup?"

Mika looked up at her mother with a pout but mumbled an 'okay' before they were allowed to walk the street and to the train station that was just around the corner.

* * *

 _'I guess I'll be doing some grocery shopping when I get off tonight,_ ' Rika thought as she made the walk from home and back to the train station for work, Mika was left at home with Hiroshi who didn't mind babysitting. Rika smiled when she thought of her daughter's face when she saw her new room everything was out of the boxes and arranged neatly for her. She had left when Mika was running around the large living room.

 _'I also have to buy some food for Hana as well.'_

Hana was her little tabby kitten she had found recently. She found her in a cold alley one night and just didn't have the heart to leave the little baby there. Mika loved her and so did she.

"Phew," Rika was so happy to enter the Marukawa building again. The reason? Air conditioning after a long walk from the station.

'Alright! Now that Mika is home it's time to go back to work! You can do it Rika!'

She made a smile of confidence while walking to the elevator. The doors opened and the woman walked in with a hop in her step after her little pep talk in her head, she pushed the button to the Emerald floor. The doors were almost closed when a hand stopped them.

"I'm coming in!"

Rika's smile dropped when she recognized that voice, it was Takano. He forced himself inside as the doors closed. The pair stood there in silence as the corridor began to move, Rika stood against the wall while the man was standing in front of her. Takano looked... off, his clothes were wrinkled as if he was doing some kind of physical activity and his pale face was flushed with sweat. Being the considerate person she was, Rika (with reluctance), looked up at Masamune with a tilted head.

"Eto… Takano-san?"

He grunted in reply.

He' still the same, Rika thought to herself, "Did something happen? You look awful?"

Masamune didn't answer. Instead he stepped towards the woman who in turn backed against the wall.

"Takano-san?" The silence was beginning to scare Rika, "This isn't funny. What's wrong with you?!"

The man looked at her with a face she had never seen before, "Ever heard of the saying 'curiosity killed the cat'?"

A nod was his answer.

"Well I was that fucking cat," Masamune said between his teeth and pulled out his cell phone.

He then showed Rika a picture on the screen of the small device. The image made her plant her hand over mouth with her eyes wide in shock.

It was a picture of Rika's back as she was walking to the apartment building they both lived in. It was also showing her holding Mika's hand.

"Is there something you're not telling me Onodera?!"

That question came out in a deep growl which sent deep chills down the woman's spine.

"W-w-what were you doing following me anyway?" Rika asked

"Don't answer my question with a fucking question," Masamune was mad now.

The glare he gave her made Rika shrink in fear. She had never seen him this scary before. Not since that rainy day in high school when he snapped at her.

She looked away from the intimidating gaze, "I have nothing to say."

"Nothing to say?! Nothing to FUCKING say?!" The man grabbed the woman's face forced her to look at him, "That little girl, I know she's mine! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Hearing that, the fear left Rika and pure rage took over. She slapped the hand from her face and countered back.

"Mika is not yours! She doesn't have a father!"

"Says who?!" Masamune yelled.

"You that's who!"

"What?!"

Rika's bangs began to flare up in pure anger, "Don't pay dumb with me! You were the one who-"

A ding interrupted the small fight, they made it to Emerald's floor. The doors opened and Rika took this as a chance to escape from Masamune but he grabbed her by the arm pulled her close to him.

"I'm taking both of you back. Be prepared."

With he let go of the woman's arm and causally walked away. Leaving Rika standing in the middle of the hallway.

 _'Take us both back?'_ She thought, _'Why?'_

Just than a feeling of nausea invaded her body and Rika ran to the bathroom. She did not throw up but she did splash some cold water on her face. It calmed her down.

Why did Takano say he was going to take both of them back? Those thoughts swam in her mind like an endless ocean. Why?

And then, Rika remembered a memory she wanted desperately to forget.

* * *

 _"Why are you defending that slut?! She shamed our family name!"_

 _A young Rika walked by the living room of her family home, the door was closed but she could hear parents fighting about her. Again. She placed her hand on her very swollen belly when she heard her mother say those horrible things._

 _"Ryoko! I understand she made a mistake but that's no excuse for calling her a slut!"_

 _At least her father was on her side. He was disappointed in her for getting pregnant young but he did say that he would support her. Her mother was a different story._

 _"I can call her anything I please! She spread her legs to some boy she only knew for a few months and now she's carrying his bastard!" Her mother screamed, "If it was Ken-kun's child I would understand but someone who is not her-"_

" _WILL YOU SHUT UP WITH THIS WHOLE 'FUTURE HUSBAND' SHIT?!"_

 _Her jaw dropped, Rika had never heard her father curse before and decided to leave before the arguing got worse. She made it to the small mail box out and looked to see if anything was labeled to her, she pulled out a white envelope that had her name._

 _"He replied," She said softly and quickly made her way back to her room._

 _Sitting on her ben, Rika tore open the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She unfolded it and began to read it with high_ hopes.

 _Those hopes soon shattered._

 ** _First of all, do not try to contact me ever again you good for thing whore. Second, I never want to see you or that mistake. And third, I know that kid is not mine._**

 ** _Keep it or kill it. I don't care. I moved on and I'm happy without you, you bitch._**

 _That was the only thing that was written on the paper._

 _Rika cried that day._

 _Mika was born the very next day._

* * *

After that, Rika's parents divorced and Rika stayed with her loving father while her mother moved away. But for some reason, she constantly calls her, demanding that she give her 'bastard' a father.

"Maybe I should go home," The woman said to herself after leaving the bathroom.

As she walked to the editing section she accidently bumped into someone who had just arrived from the elevator.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rika said with a bow, "I wasn't paying attention."

It was a large man with a deep frown on his face, he glared at the woman, "Watch where you're going next time."

 _'Rude._ '

Rika nodded and walked off to her workplace. She decided to stay, Rika was not going to back down.

Takafumi Yokozawa watched the woman in deep disdain.

 _'So that's the girl.'_

* * *

I received an email the other day. it told me to change the content of my story or lose my page so once aFREAKINgain I had to rush this chapter *Anger has a field day inside my head* Yes I saw Inside Out with my boyfriend recently. I loved it.

Masamune found out about Mika, he's not happy that rika kept that information from him. I think it's a legitimate reaction. Maybe, maybe not. *shrugs*

Poor Rika had a difficult pregnancy. She had Mika early which is why the little is smaller compared to the other children. And her mother was not so supportive. and to top it off, she received a very awful letter allegedly sent to her by Masamune.

be strong Rika!

Masamune will not meet Mika right away. He knows now that he has a child but he won't meet her for a while.

As for Kisa remaining male, I'm working on an experiment that concerns the semes.

OH and BTW, I'm working on a series of VERY mature oneshots of Junjou Romantica AU on my Archive. I take requests, feel free to ask what you want ^^

Read and leave a review since they provide fuel for quicker updates. less reviews provide slower updates :P


	5. Chapter 5

_'How am I supposed to work now?!'_ Rika thought to herself for the umpteenth time as she looked over the manuscript she was working on before she briefly left to pick up her daughter. After the weird confrontation with that rude man, she went back to work for the rest of the day.

She could feel Masamune's gaze on her as he was also doing his work. Please look away, she mentality begged.

Rika looked over at the clock and sighed, it was only two.

 _'Only five more hours.'_

The 'good' day she wanted turned out to be a stressful day for the young woman. She is not only forced to work with her former lover but she had had also been told by said man that he was taking not only her back but also the child they conceived.

 _'As if I'll go to back to that bastard!'_ she screamed in her head, _'He only said he'll take Mika because I won't go to him without her.'_

Rika vowed years ago that she will never again think of romance. The only thing she thing cared for the most was Mika and work.

Shaking her head, the woman began her cut and paste routine. After three hours, Rika decided to grab a coffee from the vending machine.

* * *

"Takano-san," Rika's eyes twitched as she was once again confronted by her boss, "please don't follow me unless its work related."

"How old is she?" Masamune asked calmly. He calmed down after yelling at the woman proved to be a wrong decision on his part. He could not help it though, he had finally found the girl he loved for so long and now here she was. She was now working for him and as if that was not enough, he found out that she even had his baby.

Gripping the cup that held her warm drink, Rika glared up at the man, "None of your business. My private life is none of your concern."

With that she turned on her heels and walked out of the spacious breakroom. The nerve of that guy, she thought, Masa-kun rejected her and Mika and now he wanted them back? No way was Rika going to be like those typical teen mothers who get the 'chance' to be with their baby daddies. It never ends well on the girl's part, at least that what she saw when she all too innocently came across that American reality show while browsing the internet when she was younger.

Rika abruptly stopped in her tracks and blushed with a scowl on her face, _'Did I just refer to him as 'Masa-kun' just now?'_

She shook her head in a frenzy, _'NO!'_

* * *

Masamune's hands clenched into fists as he watched Rika walk off in a huff. None of his business she says. It was his right to know about his daughter. How old is she? When was she born? Is she loved? And how come Rika never once called him about the pregnancy?

 _'I want to see her'_ , He thought, drinking the coffee he bought while he was asking those mental questions.

He thought about just going home and knocking on the door and demand to see his daughter. Masamune immediately thought against it. That little girl doesn't deserve to go through that kind of trauma.

"Masamune."

The man looked up and saw that it was his friend Yokozawa.

"Work related?"

"No, I thought that we should get something to drink after work," the gruff looking man answered.

"Pass," Masamune gulped down the drink and discarded the cup, "gotta train the newbie."

Yokozawa glared when he heard that but said nothing when the man walked out of the room.

* * *

 _'I can only pacify Mika for so long. When do you get off work?'_

Rika sighed after reading the text from her father. Apparently Mika was becoming tired of waiting for her mother. She sent back a quick text.

 _'I'll come home soon. I get off around 7:30 anyway depending on the chief editor. '_

She placed her phone down and looked over the manuscripts for a final check before handing it over. Most likely there will be a demand for a rewrite, Kisa was kind enough to fill her in on certain details.

Her phone buzzed again.

 _'Now she's throwing a tantrum.'_

Rika dropped her head, ' _Mika you're being a brat now.'_

 _'I'm not coming home just because she's screaming. Let her scream it out and make her take a nap.'_

She placed her phone down and organized the papers. As she did so, Masamune walked back in.

"Takano-san I finished the final reading," She said giving him the papers.

"Hm," The man took the papers and went to his desk.

Once again, Rika's phone buzzed.

 _'She's calmed down and taking her nap.'_

 _'Good, I'll be home soon.'_

"Onodera!"

Rika jumped and looked to see Masamune gesturing her to come over. He finished reading the manuscript already? The woman stood up and slipped her phone in her pocket before walking to her boss. He handed back only half of the manuscript.

"Not good huh?"

"It's boring!" The man deadpanned.

She chuckled and took the papers-she made sure not to touch his hand- to give them a quick look. Rika didn't mean to laugh but she had to keep things professional around Masamune regardless of past history with him.

"Well I thought it was really interesting," Rika reasoned, still looking over the manuscript, "And this is coming from someone who doesn't read manga."

Masamune raised an eyebrow but stood firm to his decision, "Still boring. Give that author a call."

Rika sighed, "Yes sir."

It was there the young Onodera Rika learned something new: Mangakas are like children.

* * *

"Mika we talked about this," Rika gently said to her daughter on phone, "I can't be with you all the time and Mommy needs to work to make us happy."

She was finally off work but she was now shopping for ingredients to make dinner after leaving the train station.

 ** _"I want you home now!"_**

She heard the stomping of a little foot on the floor. Rika sighed and rubbed her eyes.

'I knew this was going to happen,' the young mother thought to herself.

Mika hated the fact that her mother was going to be away for a while every day. When Rika worked in her father's company, she used to take Mika with her everyday ever since she was born. And the fact that it was going to change was something the little one did not like.

"Mika," Rika became firm, "Stop it."

The stomping stopped and soft sniffles were heard.

"Look sweetheart," The woman's tone softened, "I know this is hard. I want to be home with you too."

And then Mika said something that stopped Rika in her tracks.

 ** _"I wish I had a daddy so he can work instead of you."_**

Rika's eyes widened in shock after she heard that. This was the first time she had heard her child make such a statement.

"Why did you say that?"

 ** _"Kikyo from school said I was weird because I have a mommy but no daddy."_**

The young woman's shoulders dropped when she heard that, "Sweetheart."

Her daughter's soft voice spoke once again, **_"How come I don't have a daddy?"_**

After a few seconds of deep pondering, Rika spoke, "If you're a good girl Mika…you'll get one."

 ** _"Really?"_**

"Really, I have to go now. I'll be home soon."

 ** _"Yes mommy."_**

And with that, Mika hung up leaving the young woman standing in line of checkout.

 _'Why did I say that?'_

After paying for her purchases Rika left the store and made the five minute walk home.

 _'I'm perfectly content being a single mother,'_ She thought to herself.

The fact that Mika wanted a father raised red flags to the young woman who wanted to raise her daughter alone. Rika didn't want to lie but she didn't want to hear Mika ask that question again.

She stopped at a crosswalk and looked down in deep thought.

When she was little, Rika used to dream about falling in love, getting married and have a family of her own. She thought she found it when she meet her senpai but that did not end well and skip the marriage, she became pregnant by her senpai. Her daughter was the only good thing that came out of that bad decision.

 _'He didn't want her then and I know he doesn't want her now.'_

The light turned red. It was safe to cross.

* * *

Rika finally made it to her apartment building and was now walking in the hallway. She quickened her pace when she began to walk passed Masamune's door, praying he didn't hear her. Rika began to put in her key when she noticed something on the left-hand side of her door.

It was a small brown plush teddy bear with a pink polka dotted ribbon around its little neck. She knelt down and picked it up gently, it had a small scent attached to its fuzzy fur. It was a scent Rika recognized almost immediately.

It was Masamune's.

How did she know this? Because it had that same cigarette and very faint cologne mixed scent Masamune had when he forced himself on her that day. He was the one who left that bear there.

 _'Why did he put it here?'_

She brushed it off and stood up to open the door.

"Tadaima!" Rika announced.

She heard the pitter patter of small feet running out of living room. If she could, Mika could have thrown to the ground but since she was small she could only make Rika stagger a bit.

"Okaerinasai mommy!" She greeted with a big smile.

Along with Mika came Hiroshi with an amused smile. Rika rolled her eyes and scooped up her daughter to give her a hug.

"Well I'll be going now," the elder Onodera announced when he walked to the front door and began to put on his shoes.

This surprised Rika since her father usually wanted to spend time with his family.

"I want you two to get used to living by yourselves," Hiroshi said as if he read his daughters thoughts.

The woman understood and nodded, "Be safe daddy."

"I already called a car," The man said, "If you need anything just give a call alright?"

Mika waved at her grandfather, "Bye-bye grandpa."

Hiroshi smiled and left the apartment leaving mother and daughter behind.

Rika set Mika down and took off her shoes.

"Alright then, sweetheart I need you give Hana her food," She said in her soft motherly tone. She gave Mika a small bag of cat food from one of the plastic bags.

"Yes Mommy," The little girl announced and ran to the living room.

Rika looked around the apartment and saw that her daughter already claimed the living room as her own. Toys and books were scattered all over the small yet spacious room along with kitty toys.

"Meow."

The woman looked down and saw her little calico tabby rubbing against her leg.

"Hello Hana."

The kitten mewed happily as her mommy gently ran her hand against her fur. Rika smiled and stood up to make dinner. The tonkatsu was premade so all she had to do was reheat it in the small oven nearby but the miso soup was going to be made from scratch.

Once upon a time, Onodera Rika was once a horrible cook who couldn't even make a decent sandwich to save her life. But during her pregnancy, she had to learn how to make meals for herself whenever her mother was around and would order the cook in their home not cater to the young girl.

Rika pulled out the ingredients from the bags and pulled back her hair.

The kitten meowed a few times before scampering away after hearing the sound of food hitting her porcelain bowl.

The woman chuckled and began to fill a pot with water.

* * *

"Itadakimasu!" Little Mika announced at the small dinner table after the small plate of food was placed in front of her. She dug in and smiled when the delicious flavor touched her tongue.

Rika smiled and sat down and said the exact same thing front of her plate.

"Eat up Mika, it's bedtime after dinner," She already knew that Mika took a bath from the hug she gave her when she came home.

The little girl stopped eating and pouted. She hated bedtime.

* * *

After the small dinner Mika left the table and ran to her room.

"No running!"

"Yes mommy!"

Rika sighed and started to clear the table when she heard her daughter walk back into the room.

"Mommy, what's this?" Mika asked as she held up an object in her hand.

It was the teddy bear Rika found.

The woman almost drop the plates she was holding when she saw it. Her first instinct was to grab the toy from her daughter's hand and throw it away. But she didn't want to frighten her.

"It's… It's a housewarming present," Rika said with some resistance, "From one of our neighbors. They found out that a cute little girl moved here and wanted to give you a present."

Mika's golden brown eyes lit up, "Really?"

Her mother nodded and walked to her. She knelt down to the child's level, "Make sure you write them a 'thank you' letter okay?"

The little girl nodded, "Yes ma'am."

She looked at the bear and hugged it, "I love it! Even though it smells weird!"

Rika chuckled and went back to her cleaning.

* * *

Mika yawned and sunk deeper into the soft duvet. She still had the little bear in her arms along with the bear her mother gave her the day before. Rika's bear looked identical but it had a blue polka dotted ribbon around its neck.

With a small smile, Rika gently tucked her daughter in and watched as little Mika drifted off to dreamland. After leaving a soft kiss on the little ones cheek, Rika quietly left the room, stepping over the many toys that were scattered around the small but spacious area.

Closing the door Rika finally let her trembling legs give out and she collapsed on her backside. Today was truly stressful and the young woman finally let all the emotions she bottled up all day loose. She was tired, her legs were still trembling from the constant running around she did day.

 _But I'm Japanese, this shouldn't affect me_ , Rika thought.

She made an attempt to stand up but her legs refused to move leaving Rika not choice but to crawl to the living room, she could've sworn that Hana was laughing. It may have been bedtime for Mika but for Rika: it was a rare opportunity to just unwind, if only for a moment. After finally managing to crawl on the couch, the young mother stretched for a moment and began to do some innocent leg exercises in an effort to give her legs strength.

 _'I might be bringing some work home tomorrow,_ ' she pondered to herself about as she kicked her legs in the air.

Just then her phone rang and from the pained look on Rika's face, it was someone she didn't want to talk to.

* * *

 _'I love it! Even though it smells weird!'_

Masamune smiled to himself after hearing that. He was sitting against a wall of his apartment, listening to Mika's voice.

She sounded like a happy child, he thought to himself.

Earlier after leaving that bear by the door, the man's deep curiosity about his daughter led him to pressing his ear against the wall that separated him and the other apartment. While the sounds were muffled out, Masamune managed to hear bits and pieces of Mika's voice.

Hearing that little girl's innocent voice made Masamune even more determined in his mission to get Rika to say 'I love you'. He didn't want his daughter to grow up without knowing who her father was.

 _'Not like me.'_

With that thought and done, the man stood up and stretched out two hours' worth of knots off his back before going to his bed.

* * *

Next chapter is in the works right now as we speak hahahahahaha.

this time a certain man we know will make his abrupt appearance (I think), he ain't my favorite ill tell ya that.

Well, the next one will not be rushed!

please give your thoughts and opinions about this chapter.

Remember: No fav and running.


	6. Chapter 5 extra

hey guys! so this chapter is actually a chapter I just typed down. Kind of like an extra manga chapter in way.

well i'm not in the best of moods so please bear with me if you see and aggressive grammer erros alright?

This is a chapter about Rika's mother.

* * *

"Hello?" She asked so calmly when she answered her phone.

On the other end, a calm, strict and sophisticated voice answered _, "Rika, I am well aware you know who this is."_

"And I wish I didn't'," The girl hissed out.

 _"Don't you speak your mother that way!"_ The woman snapped.

Rika's eyes darkened in color as anger bottled up inside her, "You're not my mother!"

 _"I gave birth to you."_

"I may have popped out of you but that does not make you my mother! Why are you calling anyway?!"

The former Onodera matriarch huffed and composed herself, _"can't a mother call her daughter and see how she is doing?"_

Rika rolled her eyes, "You never call for my well-being."

Once again, the woman huffed _, "matters aside, I'm calling about Ken-kun."_

"Listen you-"

Former Onodera interrupted, _"Now, he is planning on leaving Paris in two months to see you so you can discuss the wedding arrangements-"_

It was then when Rika exploded, "I refuse, REUFSE, to marry that son of a bitch. I never agreed to this and you know it!"

 _"Rika you are in denial. Marriage is an important part in a young woman's life and it's only fair for you to marry Ken-kun so your little bastard ca-"_

The young woman hung up and turned her phone off. Rika threw the phone across the room and began to punch the pillow that was on the couch.

"That" Punch "Stupid." Punch "BITCH!"

She continued to punch the poor pillow until it began to sag from the repeated assaults. The anger she had begun to subside leaving the girl emotionally torn and exhausted. She sat down and buried her head in her hands and let the angry tears fall down.

"Mommy?"

Rika gasped and looked up to see Mika standing near the couch. She was holding her bears in her arms close and she had teary eyes.

Immediately the woman wiped her eyes and went to her daughter.

"Mika, why are you out of bed?"

The child sniffed and held her toys closer, her voice was trembling "You were yelling and it was scary."

Immediately, Rika hugged her daughter, "Shh… it's alright Mika. I didn't mean to yell."

The sniffles stopped and Mika began to calm down.

"Why were you yelling mommy?"

Rika was silent for a while and gave another comforting hug, "mommy was mad at someone who was mean to her."

"Ok."

The woman smiled and picked up her daughter and began to walk to Mika's room. Instead of putting Mika to bed, Rika grabbed a small blanket that was folded at the end of bed.

"Let's go for a walk sweetheart, I'll carry you," Rika Said soothingly as she wrapped up the little one.

The little girl, who became very drowsy, nodded.

When Mika was a baby, she used to cry all hours of the night. The only way for to stop crying and sleep was when Rika would take her out on a nightly walk. It always worked and also gave Rika a sense of peace. Something she really needed now.

The pair walked out of the building, across the busy streets and all the way to the steps reading to the library. All the while many people gave the mother weird looks, as if they have seen a woman carry her child before.

As she walked up the steps, Rika began to think about that damn call.

 _'Ever since my parents divorced, I hoped I was rid of her.'_

Sanada, her mother, was not the kind of mother one would call 'Mother of the year'.

 ** _"Mommy are you going to come for parent's day?"_**

 ** _"I do not have time for such imbecilic nonsense! And stop calling me that, you will refer to me as mother and mother only."_**

 ** _A preschool aged Rika looked down on the floor, struggling to hold back her. A pale hand slapped her across the head._**

 ** _"And don't you dare cry!"_**

* * *

 ** _"But why mother? Why can't I go to the_** ** _Hinamatsuri?" twelve year old Rika asked her mother._**

 ** _This festival was important to her because her best friend was going back to her home country and she really wanted to see the festival that was prepared in honor of the holiday._**

 ** _Sanada drank her tea and looked at the many rings on her fingers before answering._**

 ** _"It is a waste of time Rika," She turned her head and looked at her daughter with cold grey eyes, "Why waste your time celebrating when you can study for your high school entrance exams?"_**

 ** _"But I just started middle school and-"_**

 ** _"Which means you must use this time to prepare yourself."_**

 ** _Rika looked at her mother with desperate eyes and prepared to leave the room._**

 ** _"Now dear," Hiroshi's voice broke the silence, "Her friend is leaving the country after the festival. Rika wanted to attend it with her."_**

 ** _"But Hiroshi-"_**

 ** _"Don't stay out long Rika and don't spend all your money on food."_**

 ** _The girl smiled, "Yes daddy."_**

 ** _With that, Rika left to attend the festival._**

 ** _A new doll from Hiroshi was waiting for her when she came home._**

 ** _Along with a slap from Sanada._**

* * *

Why did Hiroshi stay with Sanada one may ask? The reason: Rika. Onodera Rika was conceived when her parents were in the process of marriage interviews. It was clear that they never got along but Sanada wanted the Onodera name more than anything so she tricked Hiroshi into sleeping with her. And when she became pregnant, Sanada threatened abortion if Hiroshi refused to marry her.

They were married and nine months later, Rika was born. Hiroshi's little princess.

But it was only when Rika became pregnant at fifteen did thing changes.

 ** _"You're what?!"_**

 ** _Rika stood before her parents trembling in fear after her secret was exposed, she was wearing a purple sweater and shorts. Hiroshi dropped his coffee mug on the ground in shock._**

 ** _"I'm sorry," The teenager cried, her hand was on her stomach while her free hand was wiping her tears away._**

 ** _Sanada who was standing up began to snarl, "You… You… SLUT!"_**

 ** _She slapped Rika hand across the face with enough force that it made her fall to the ground._**

 ** _"So you spread your legs to some boy and got pregnant huh?!"_**

 ** _The young girl sat up and began to cry._**

 ** _It was then Sanada grabbed the girl by the arm, "Let's go!"_**

 ** _"What?"_**

 ** _The grip on her arms tightened._**

 ** _"You're not showing yet so no one will know," Her mother muttered under her breath._**

 ** _"Mother?"_**

 ** _The woman looked at her daughter, her black hair fell out of the bun, "We are getting rid of it!"_**

 ** _"What?!"_**

 ** _"Sanada!" Exclaimed Hiroshi in deep surprise._**

 ** _"We are getting rid of that…. That… Bastard before the name of Onodera is tarnished!"_**

 ** _Hearing that, Rika jerked her arm back and backed away from her mother, "No! I'm not killing my baby!"_**

 ** _"You will get rid of it! This is an order from your mother!"_**

 ** _Hiroshi had enough and stood in front of his wife._**

 ** _"Rika go to your room, I'll talk to you later."_**

 ** _She did and for the next eight months, Onodera manor was filled with nothing but arguing._**

Rika sat down on the bench that was placed near the library and looked at her daughter she peacefully slept. She was so happy when her father said she could keep her daughter and just as happy when her mother left. That woman made her miserable all her life, her escapes were books and school.

 _'Now that I think about it,_ ' She suddenly thought, 'I _never had problems when I started high school.'_

She held her daughter closer when the night breeze began to pick up.

 _'Why is that?'_

Just then an image appeared in her head.

"…Rika…"

It was Masamune or rather the high school version of him.

Rika sighed sadly, "Masa-kun…"

'Maybe that's why.'

The chill soon came to Rika and she stood up to make the walk home when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

The woman gasped and abruptly turned around to face the stranger.

But it wasn't a stranger.

"It's late. What are you doing here?" Masamune asked, he was calm but Rika could see the disapproving look in his eyes, "And why is Mika with you when she should be in bed?"

The woman opened her mouth to answer but no words came out. Instead she looked up at him with a flushed face, her heart beating against her chest.

The man sighed and held out his arms.

Rika tilted her head.

"Your ams are trembling from carrying her around," Masamune bluntly answered, " I'm not going to hurt her."

He was right, Rika's arms were struggling to hold onto Mika. Any second she might drop her little one.

She turned her head and bit her bottom lips before she reluctantly gave the man her daughter.

Masamune gently hoisted Mika until her head was resting on his shoulder and made sure he was supporting her weight in one arm.

' _She's so small,'_ He thought, _'She looks like me.'_

He looked at Rika and motioned her to follow him back to the apartment.

They made it down the stone steps when Masamune spoke.

"You never answered my question."

Rika looked up and at the man and dropped her shoulders, "Couldn't sleep so I thought a walk might help. I obviously can't leave my child alone now can I?"

The man gave a small laugh though his nose and hoisted Mika upwards again. He knew she was lying, her yelling woke him and left his apartment to see Rika leave in the hallways of the building.

"Onodera."

The woman gave the man her full attention.

Masamune stopped and held his daughter close.

"If somethings bothering you, you can tell me."

Rika blushed at the sight. Masamune looked so natural holding Mika the way he was. She looked small, smaller than she already was compared to him.

"Hehe, look at you acting as if you care," Rika chuckled, "Everything alright. I just couldn't sleep and I didn't want to leave Mika, alright?"

Masamune sighed, _'She's a terrible liar._ '

"Fine but my offer still stands."

The walk home was silent the rest of the way.

* * *

Don't worry the REAL chapter is still in the works :)

Enjoy!


	7. adios

I'M DONE. DONE, DONE AND DONE!

I TRIED. BELIVE ME ! I tried to stay for you guys but I can't take it anymore. So Junjou and Sekaiichi will no longer be written by me. Both of them are now up for adoption.

I'm sorry but it has to be this way. I'm already going through so much in my personal life and this is just too much

I've said this so many times and I will say it again. Fan fiction dot net used to be so much fun but now. Its like the YouTube if fan fiction.

I'll still work on my other stories just not these.

I knew that gender bending is taboo but I really didn't think it was this taboo. I love reading yaoi but I always wanted to see what these truly wonderful stoires would be like the ukes were girls. As much as your touching words helped me during the bad times. This time. It just cant work.

Adios :(


End file.
